Fort Lauderdale, FL – Victoria Park residents are upset about a Jewish sect whose very popular, elderly leader has moved into the neighborhood, attracting people to the 7,000 square foot home.
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Residents complained in emails to Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom that scores of people have religious meetings at the home that involve stomping and noise. They say a Hasidic Jewish Sect, The Tosh, from Montreal, Canada, has moved there.
“There is no doubt in our minds that the Rabbi is a very spiritual man,’’ resident Larry Eskesen wrote to his commissioner, “ … but does he have to be spiritual so noisily?’’
The city is taking a cautious approach to this, citing what happened to Hollywood in 2005, City Attorney Harry Stewart said.
“We see it as not too dissimilar from the altercation that Hollywood got into with the Chabad,” Stewart said. “The Chabad is still there and Hollywood got tagged for $2 million.’’
Federal law dictates that cities treat religious groups as they treat any other group. For example, if the Boy Scouts can meet in Victoria Park, then so can members of a religious organization. Houses of worship aren’t allowed in the Victoria Park neighborhood, but a residential home where religious meetings occasionally occur would be OK, Stewart said.
The city looked into allegations of parking and garbage code violations, and found none, he said.
Rodstrom advised the neighborhood president, Ted Fling, in an email Tuesday that the city “welcomes the diversity of all of our residents and guests” and had found no evidence of code violations at the house at 417 11th Ave.
Kol sheruach habrios nocha heimenu, ruach HaMakom nocha heimenu….
what’s the deal? why’d they move to Ft Lauderdale?… of all places?
So if a religeos person is hosting a meeting does this automaticaly make it a “religous meeting”…?
What nation have we became…?
There’s no garbage issues! No parking issues! (Of which I’m surprised…)
So what DO they want?
Way to go Mr. Stewart, he’s from the only Tzadikim left in this generation and whoever “Tchepers” with him is playing with fire
Well its no surprise
The rebbe is a baal moifes if they could not find garbage with our heimshe oilim he’s a real baal moifes
that foolish man, watch he’ll soon ask the rebbe for mechila and a brocha.
I am already looking into buying a investing in houses in that neighborhood cause I belive the prices will go up very fast the rebbe’s presence will bring alot of hatzlacha to the area
Someone pls answer: Is the Rebbe staying in Florida permanently and for Pesach or only for a couple of weeks? And does the Rebbe still have hours one can talk to him, down in Florida?
If the neighbors push it, it will become hard to defend. If they hold minyanim there, it would be hard not to call it a “place of worship”. And besides I’m sure his Chassdim in Tush would appreciate to have the Rebbe back a little sooner.
“Federal law dictates that cities treat religious groups as they treat any other group.”
Actually, the US Constitution dictates. This is the 14th amendment that includes the 1st amendment.
this man should watch out he is playing with fire
“The city looked into allegations of parking and garbage code violations, and found none, he said.”
it looks like they tried to chap him!
the rabbi actually arived home already today
So let the neighbors wait it out. You’d think it was a den of iniquity the way they’re making such a fuss. Stomping? What do they think Chasidim are? Circus elephants??? The whole thing’s ridiculous. They should be delighted to have a holy person in their backwater.
no one ever mention about the rebbe being a noise maker . its his followers who are making a rukus . chasidim are not exempt from treating area neighbors with dignity. shape up or ship out and let the rebbe stay.
I would love to have him as a neighbor…. So long as none of the other people show up. I moved to a quiet neighborhood for QUIET. Thank H” we have a homeowners association here. If they were noisy after 9pm during the week or 10pm on weekends they would be fined $50 for the first time $100 next, $200, $400, $800… etc… the schedule keeps doubling. Every community that wants to maintain peace and quiet should have a homeowners association. It also has all kinds of rules about parking on the streets, etc. I LOVE IT.
excuse me. I have been by the rabbi at that address and there is no noise this must be some anti-semite that is causing this whole racket. it happens to be that they only let people come by appointment and there aren’t that many people coming there at one given time. it is beautiful quiet and very clean there. no one is bothering anybody. only we are in gulas and people love to complain against us.
The city looked into allegations of parking and garbage code violations, and found none, he said.
the govts way of descriminating and abusing our rights!
“Houses of worship aren’t allowed in the Victoria Park neighborhood”
How odd, that a Rov would move to an area where no shul’s are allowed.
where is Inverrary? is it on the ocean? do they have rentals for the winter months?
To answer about minyan is considered house of worship- you’re wrong!! There’s a law in Florida called “El Rupa” (spelling?) That anyone can meet for religious purposes in a private home even in a place not zoned for a shul. Also, I was there, and its not noisy or congested there. They have valet parking so there are no cars parked around there and there aren’t that many chassidim that come down with him.
do not mess with the tosher rebbe!!! he our tzadik hador & anyone that messes with him will be in trouble.
The Toshe Rebbe, SHLITA, is one of the Tzadikai Hador.
Any place he chooses to live is not a backwater. No matter what it was or may have been in the past, it will no longer be. Watch and see, Ft Lauderdale area, I believe they call it Broward County, will now grow into, even faster than it has been, into a mokom Torah, mokom Yirah, and mokom Bracha.
It is already known to be a mokom Ahavas Yisroel. I have visited Rav Aron Lieberman’s shul in Inverrary, the shul they talked about above. They are being honest.
In fact, if I remember correctly, it is Congregation Ahavas Yisroel, and I remember thinking they mean it there.
Now Broward will have the Toshe Rebbe on one side, and Rav Aron Lieberman on the other side. Two Torah-Strong foci.
They tell me there are yeshivos, and seminaries also, and Mikvuos around the county
Reply to number 26
when your in need of a yeshua let me see you open your big mouth then about gezel shayna the holy rebbe has walked thru mountains to poel yeshuas for yidden watch your mouth
I am torn.
Though much of what Milhouse says is true, he is not aware of the situation here in South Florida.
In moving to Florida the people 50 years ago made up their minds to leave the mistakes of unplanned communities up North, and really plan out the Florida communities.
They built “All ages” communities and “55+” communities.
People with kids could live in the all ages, and those who were older, and wanted quiet, or were old and afraid of tripping over a kid’s toy, can live in a 55+ community.
They wrote zoning laws with the intent to actually enforce them.
No store can be opened without adequate parking off the streets. We do not park on the streets.
No community can change its population density from the original plans without paying for the road widening necessary to make sure we have enough road lanes for viable driving to work in a reasonable time.
The entire Broward Couny is criss crossed with all main roads being 6-lane streets, with twin turning lanes.
Side streets are wide, but not straight. We wind our roads through residential areas, to keep traffic out of them. If you are just driving through, you stick to the main roads, which go straight. You would not want to wind through the residential neighborhoods, and it would take too long.
This protects kids from being smushed.
We have high speed limits on main roads and highways, but 15 MPH in school zones. And we have plenty of school zones. Again, trying not to smush kids.
All businesses and stores of any kind are in shopping centers and/or strip malls, all with plenty of parking, and all just outside of the residential neighborhoods.
This means nobody is ever parking or driving near your home to get to the supermarket, church, office, shul, hospital or doctor’s office.
Residence is residence, and business is business.
We did work very hard to establish this and maintain this.
There was a problem with a Chabad or two, because the people living in the area were not originall frum, and did not need to be within walking distance to a shul.
So, along comes a Chabad shaliach and buys a home right on a residential block, and causes problems. Noise late at night. Cars not parked properly, due to no parking lot, etc.,
Another one was a Chabad shaliach renting a store which was not zoned for a house of worship, and did not have adequate parking for it.
Due to the laws prohibitting anti-religious stuff, they both won.
But… it was not easy, and it left many mouths with bitter tastes.
But, in both cases, the people attending services were residents of the area. This meant that the protesting neighbors had to deal with their neighbors saying, “It is okay, we do want it, etc.,” Also, there they were mostly baalei teshuva. So, when they bought, they did not intend to go to shul, then along came Chabad, and …. well you know…
But, if you are moving to a community and are not doing kiruv work, it is by far best to try to figure a way to not “Buck the system” and cause problems.
Unfortunately, people coming from up North, from the older communities where nobody upholds the zoning laws that do exist, don’t even think about that when they come down and buy property and sometimes get ticked off when they are told they can’t do this or they can’t do that.
So, though I am in favor of the Toshe Rebbe’s being here. And he is a great bracha to Broward County, I do understand the other side as well.
Also, it is possible that when they bought him that home, their idea is that it would be a quiet retreat for him, as he is fragile and ailing, may Hashem grant him a refua shlaima.
But with someone of his greatness, it is hard to hide him away. People want to come to him. The quiet minyanim will grow. People will come for brochos. A yeshiva from NMB came to him for brochos recently. This will continue, and grow as people get to know he is here.
I daven to Hashem that we are still battling this issue, and that we can get in to see him 20 years from now, and be zoiche to hear his holy voice in tefillah.
Milhouse: The people have the right to complain whether we agree or not. FL is not NY. In FL, it is illegal to operate a “house of worship” in a residential neighborhood without proper permits. Some small shuls have gotten away with using the term “prayer group” or “study group”, but it never lasts. Once too many people start showing up, crowding the streets with parked cars (most streets in FL are not designed for much parking without blocking the roadway), or making too much noise, they get forced out.
You point out that in hilchos shcheinim, neighbours have no right to complain about a melamed, a shul, a beis medrash… The complaints here are rarely about the actual davening or learning in the house, but rather the complete disregard for the community. Just because you have the right BE there, does not mean you have the right to trample on the standards and practices of the community. If they kept it quiet, parked their cars outside the community, and did not force themselves on everyone, there would not have been a problem. If they are having the noise-equivalent of a loud fraternity party every motzei shabbos, I understand why nobody wants them.
A chillul H” that is made, even while being oseik b’mitzvoh, is still a chillul H”.
Why was this community picked for him? Clearly this was a bad choice. There are plenty of more appropriate communities out there in FL that would be thrilled to have this gadol and all the ruach that comes along with him.
I live on the block. The Rebbe has gone back to Tash and may return after Tishrie. Only some of the nieghbors are up in arms, many are fine and have no issue with his presence. Parking is a bit of an issue, but it will get sorted out. Your comments are quite commical. Gut Yom Tov
I have been to see the Rebbe in Ft. Lauderdale and the house is beautiful in a lovely area and there was no garbage, and the Rebbe’s staff were very careful to point out to visitors not to park in certain areas and to be respectful and hold noise down. It was a great honour to see the Tzaddik and receive a Brocha from him. I met Yidden from all aspects, Spheradim, Litvish, Heimishe all coming to see this great Tzaddik. I have never been to a more respectful and well behaved scenario.
Nothing strange about the Fort Lauderdale, FL attitude. If you are old enough, you might remember how neither Miami nor its hotels were hospitable to Jews in the 40s-early 60s. “No Jews and Dogs” were allowed.
It actuallygoes back a lot further than 2005. Thirty years ago the city of Miami beach told Chaim Gross he couldn’t conduct prayer services in his house. It went to the supreme court and the city lost.
Yes, I remember that. In many parts of Broward, that is not the past, unfortunately.
B”h bizches the hilege tzdaik the bad neighbor moved and peace is back. All neighbours are. Happy!
I was there 2 weeks ago for a shabbas and i must say that i spoke to the neighbors around the Rabbi’s house, asking them what they are saying to such a special Rabbi here on there street, one neighbor replied back to me that ” This Rabbi brought light to our street & neighborhood, We feel more SAFE” i was shocked to here that from a non Jewish man, another neighbor said to me, that his wife and kids run to the window front when the Rabbi walks by, they just like to see this Holy spiritual Rabbi. B’H its a Kidesh Hashem, for the Ft Lauderdale City.
Hello everyone, here’s writting a neighbour, that lives right opposite the house of the rabbi, i live on the address of 401 NE 11 TH AVE, and i am writting here not only what’s on my mind, but what’s on more neighbour’s of the street’s mind, this rabbi has brought light to our street, we feel so happy every day we see such an holy angel, were very lucy that he’s on our street with us, i must say all the people that are around him always ask us if every thing is ok, they are such special people, we want him back.